I do agree with him that viewing videos on smartphones is not the same as watching on a flat-screen, or just a laptop (side-note: i can’t wait to try the new mirroring feature and catch up on my “to watch bookmark list” – not on the desktop but the big screen). The whole Airplay-technology is just mindboggling if you think about it, doing with video what we first were able to do with audio, switching podcast consumption from the headphones to the appartment-stereo with a button.

Mitch’s later points on issues with geolocation I only know too well since a lot of YouTube content is blocked in Germany due to licensing issues with local bodies. To often we don’t use the Store or YouTube on the Apple TV but hook up a laptop with HotSpot Shield to circumvent the IP-restrictions. That aside, regular television interrupted with commercials almost never happens anymore in this household.

The mobile shift also extends to creation. I have to really think about when I last took out that old FlipCam, probably last time I recorded an Speaking English Podcast (sorry for the long summer break!). In the meantime, camera and software for the iPhone have become very powerful, be it social video apps like Viddy, Socialcam and Klip TV, or simpler Apps like Givit, Gifture (sadly this app never worked so far) or Cinemagram. Combine that with the iMovie app and you are in trouble justifying the extra configuration – remember when you chose the MacBook Pro over the MacBook because you needed the power for video?

Aided by artists who are figuring out the power in their own hands (e.g. Fred Durst/Limp Bizkit; Britney Spears) the mobile revolution extends from consuming video to creating it.

If you are wondering what the role of brand marketing can be in this space you are probably not alone.

I just received an email from the blip.tv support team, automatically generated

“We wanted to let you know that your professional account for “Speaking English Podcast” has expired.”

Not only am I furious because I am still waiting for the day that a video hosting service realizes that their paying customers are a valuable asset for them and that they need to make sure to keep them happy. This reminds me of the beginning of revver.com’s demise. Late payments, no communication.

But in addition, I am speechless about the mechanism. Why the fuck would you let the pro accounts expire? Why wouldn’t you send one email four weeks in advance, “hey, just to let you know, your pro account is going to expire, do you want to renew?” And why wouldn’t you send a reminder a week before it expires? You didn’t, I checked my spam folder. This could be so easy. But I guess it’s not.

So, last Friday was just another hockey game, Edmonton played Tampa Bay. The game went to shoot out and was decided by rookie Linus Omark.

Now, that’s a goal, right? The objective of the game is to put the puck into the net and that is what he did. The fake slap-shot? Part of that. The spin-o-rama? I have no issues with that. Tampa Bay player’s did:

“A … joke,” left wing Ryan Malone(notes) said.
Asked if it was disrespectful, defenseman Mattias Ohlund(notes) said, “Absolutely.”
Omark, in his first NHL game, picked up the puck at center ice and did a spin-o-rama at the blue line before skating down the slot, smacking his stick on the ice and firing through Dan Ellis'(notes) legs.
“It’s embarrassing for him,” Ellis said. “You come into a league, a respectful league like this, and you try a little move like that. It’s not a very classy thing. That’s just the kind of person he is.”

What has that to do with classy? It really seems that the “establishment” wants to enforce rules that aren’t there:

Yes, shame on you, Linus Omark, for breaking the No. 1 rule of decorum in a skills competition for rookies, even if that rule is unwritten and was just invented by the Lightning. Clearly, this should have been a 15-foot wrist shot into Dan Ellis’ chest instead of an electrifying game-winning goal whose initial move had the Bolts goalie out of sync and position. Where’s the class, Linus? Don’t you know the man has enough problems?

Techcrunch pointed out this morning (my time) that Constantin Film apparently has forced YouTube to take down the latest take on the Hitlermeme, in which he (Hitler) goes off on the iPhone 4g. This film was just the latest installment of films I really enjoy watching, despite or because I am German. We are known for being very hard on ourselves when it comes to anything 3rd Reich-related, but the brilliance of Bruno Ganz’ performance being juxtaposed by plain humor – I don’t know about you but I find that funny.

However, not funny is the position Constantin Film is taking here. It is stupid. They actually have something going for them. The meme is huge, loads of videos: here are some. iPad. And not just tech-related. Michael Jackson passing away (Hitler hatd tickets), Take That reunion, Springsteen, you name it. Constantin could have been the one different company in an industry that just doesn’t know where it’s heading, only knowing (claiming) that it is losing money and a lot of it. Why not create an official video pool where the best videos are collected and can be voted on? People enjoy this scene so much that they are creating mash-ups. Let them. Empower them. Be a linchpin!

Note: I put in call with Constantin Films inquiring if they will force to take all other Downfall-mash-ups down but was kindly asked to write an email to legal. Which I did.

UPDATE: Constantin Film kindly asked me to understand that they would not comment on this.

UPDATE 2: Samuel Axom reports on Mashable that indeed YouTube was asked to take down several films and for many of the remaining users will now get a “Content is blocked” message. He also provides a quote from the director of the movie:

Downfall director Oliver Hirschbiegel told New York Magazine that he laughs at the parodies. “You couldn’t get a better compliment as a director,” he said. Unfortunately, Constantin Film’s legal team isn’t as easygoing about it.